Improvement in steels for sharpening knives



`0. W.'TA.FT. Steels for Sharpening Knives. No.. 147", 705, l Patented Feb. 17,1874.

INVENTDB z 20a/y) BY l FFICEo OWEN W. TAFT, OF BROOKLYN, NEIN YORK.

IMPRGVEMENT IN STEELS FOR SHARPENING KNIVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. Hlo, dated February 17, 1874,' application tiled December 13. 1873.

To all whom it 'may concern Be it known that I, OWEN NV. Tlm'r, or" Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved KnifeSharpening Steel, of which the tollowin g is a specification:

My invention relates to a knife-sharpening steel possessing peculiarities of construction calculated to render it much more etlicient and for a longer period than other steels. It consists in a series of blades set radially around a rod or stock which is attached to a handle of suitable form, as hereinafter described.

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved steel with part in section. Fig. 2 is a crosssection on the line y y ot' Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section ot' one of the bolsters.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate correspending parts.

A is a rod of iron or steel, about as long as the ordinaryT steel rod used for sharpening ta` ble-knives, and about the same size, on the upper end of which is a permanent bead, B, considerably larger at the lower end than the rod and having radial undercut notches a for the reception of the ends of a number of long steel blades, C, arranged edgewise to and parallel with the rod around it at intervals ot' about equal Width to the blades themselves, and secured at the other ends by the collar or bolster D, which also has radial undercut notches l1 for the ends of said blades, and is screwed up to hold them fast by the nut E and handle F, the latter being seciued upon the rod by being screwed up against the bolster. These blades are employed for the benefit of the angles of their outer edges for knife-sharpening purposes, which are more eliicient than can be formed on a steel rod by the concave flutes or grooves, or the iile surfaces with which steels are armed, as their form is better adapted for action on the knife-edge, and it is such that the edges do not become dulled by wear, but are adapted to be self-sharpening, or it' necessary they can be tiled or groundsharp.

rlhis arrangement of the blades ot' the steel is better than a construction of the blades and the rod by planing out the spaces between them in a large solid rod, because of great-er economy ot construction 5 also, because the blades being made separately can be hammered and tempered better; and, also, because in case a blade is defect-ive it can be removed and another can be put in its place.

H, to adapt it to be used as a skewer-pull. Also, the point K ofthe same and a curved blade or cutter, L, which is pivoted in a circumten ential recess of the head B, constitute, in con nection with the handle of the steel, an efti- 'cient can-opener 5 but I do not here claim these devices, since I purpose making them the sub jects of other Letters Patent.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patont- The combination of a set of radial blades, C, with. a rod or stock, A, and a handle, F, in the manner described, for sharpening knives.

GIVEN NV. TAFT.

YVitnesses:

T. B. Mosman,

ALEX. F. Ronnnrs.

'Ihe rod H has an extension, Gr, with a notch, 

